Quirinus Quirrell: The Turban Professor and Voldemort
The stuttering professor with Voldemort on his head
- Occupation
- Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (formerly Muggle Studies)
- Host to
- Lord Voldemort
- Died
- End of Harry's first year
He stutters, smells of garlic and is scared of everything, which is why nobody suspects him. Quirinus Quirrell is the best trick of the first book: the villain was in plain sight from the first chapters, and readers were busy watching Snape.
Who he is
Quirrell is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in Harry's first year. He used to teach Muggle Studies, and he traveled to Albania looking for real experience. There he met Voldemort, who attached himself to the back of his head (Philosopher's Stone, ch. 17). From then on he wore a turban that smelled of garlic, and he claimed a vampire had given it to him, an excuse almost everyone believed. According to Rowling he was in Ravenclaw, though the books don't say.
Clumsiness was his best disguise. While everyone saw a poor man, Voldemort used him to reach the Sorcerer's Stone.
Key moments
- Philosopher's Stone, ch. 5: Harry meets him at the Leaky Cauldron, where he comes across as shy and friendly. He is the first teacher Harry sees.
- Philosopher's Stone, ch. 10: he bursts into the dining hall shouting that there is a troll in the dungeons and faints. He was the one who let it in.
- Philosopher's Stone, ch. 15: Harry sees a hooded figure drinking unicorn blood in the Forbidden Forest. It is Quirrell, with Voldemort.
- Philosopher's Stone, ch. 17: Harry finds him in front of the Mirror of Erised, and Quirrell takes off the turban and shows him Voldemort's face.
- Philosopher's Stone, ch. 17: when he tries to grab Harry, it burns his skin. He dies unable to touch him.
Relationships
With Voldemort, a relationship of servitude: he obeys him and fears him. With Snape, an invented distrust: Snape watches him and Quirrell plays the victim. With Harry, a mix of fake kindness and real rejection.
What almost nobody notices
The pain in Harry's scar is never Snape's doing, as Harry believes at the first feast (Philosopher's Stone, ch. 7). It is Quirrell, whose body carries Voldemort. The book puts it right there in front of everyone, and nobody sees it because the favorite suspect is someone else.
The Sorting Hat nearly sent Harry to another house. Read about it in The Sorting Hat Almost Put Harry in Slytherin: What Happened.
Content created with AI assistance, reviewed and edited by our editorial team.
